Ex anti vaxxer wanting to get my children vaccinated

[Muchadodo]

Can I just book a GP appointment for them?

I have 3 DCs and my views have changed. They are teens or preteen. I do feel ashamed now but I'm worried about the rising rates of whooping cough.

Well done for changing your mind. I'm sure you contact your GP they will be able to sort an appointment.

I would call up the practice and ask the receptionist. I imagine it’s a nurse appointment rather than a GP.

Yep, just give the GP a ring, OP. Our surgery has sessions for vaccinations.

Contact your GP surgery and ask how to arrange vaccinations they've missed. Not unreasonable at all OP. You're taking a responsible step.

Call the GP and they will sort it all out for you. It is likely to be nurse appointments and I would imagine it is a common thing for them to be vaccinating people who have changed their minds.

Are the kids onboard, as unlike babies they have to consent too?

If so just ring up and ask where best to go for catch up vaccinations, locally the school nursing team run the service for all over 5s so you can go to their clinic but in other places it's in GP clinics.

Families move from abroad etc and need vaccines that weren't on their local schedule. Helpful if you have their red book

Goodness, yes absolutely, especially if any of their friends are likely to have new siblings. The friend of a friend in Italy had her baby die of whooping cough. Imagine how you'd feel in similar circumstances. Well done you for being willing to stand up for yours and other kids.

My older 2 are saying no but I think I could bribe them with £2 each if I persist.

My younger one would accept.

Do they have to give all of the missed vaccines? So a lot of vaccines.

Just call the GP, they'll be really glad to book you all in. Don't overthink things, better late than never!

They'll work out a regime based on safety and priority. So just now, MMR, and the one that covers tetanus and polio will be the ones they want to get in PDQ, due to outbreaks. That includes whooping cough.

Distract and bribe kids (if under 18) and it'll be fine.

I think that is worth talking through with the surgery, there might be some that are more of a priority at the moment. Between you , you can come up with a plan.

GP likely to prioritise MMR then TDAP diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough) and polio. Well done for considering evidence and changing your mind. If your children are older teens might be worth explaining why you chose not to get it done originally and why you think it is important now. Whooping cough and measles are both bad this winter and can both be really nasty.

My child was immune suppressed for several years and has only just been allowed to have 1st dose of MMR as couldn't have live vaccines safely. Hopefully having second dose soon. Given thier condition, they are at significant rosk if they get these illnesses. They and siblings will then be having they've the chickenpox vaccine too. We have been relying on everyone else, including younger sibling, to have been vaccinated to keep them safe.

There’s nothing to be ashamed of, you’re taking a great step to ensuring your children’s health now. Call the gp practice and they will help you organise the appointments. They will know which vaccines need to be prioritised and how best to schedule the catch up. Yes it will mean a few needles, but they won’t do every vaccine they have missed all in one day!

Definitely never too late. Measles, for instance, can be deadly, even to adults.

Well done! It is so important to immunise the herd. And you can explain this to your DC so they are onboard with it.

Contact your GP and explain. The surgery will prioritise who needs what and in what order.

Well done OP. totally bribe the older ones!
MMR top of list because of measles.
I had measles as a child and it was horrific. I lost my hearing partially but remember thinking I might die.
The surgery will just think you are doing the right thing.

It's not all or nothing... you and your kids can pick and choose which vaccines you want to catch up with. Some are less relevant when older. Others (measles) may be a priority.
As others have pointed out, your children have the right to refuse consent too if they have capacity so you need to talk to them about it.

My understanding was that the kids can refuse the consent but the parent can override it. Bribe away OP! 😁

So when you had control you just didn't want them to have any vaccine? Now they are growing up and aren't wanting them you suddenly want them to have them??

An adult died a couple weeks ago of measles in country I live.

I know of a family who have a disabled adult child now who was perfectly normal until two when she caught measles. It left her very badly brain damaged. Her parents are now too elderly to take care of her so now she lives in a state care.

here are live there are more people refusing vaccines and so it’s a good thing when anyone changes their minds.

Bribing them seems wrong,to be honest, if they are old enough to consent. Discuss certainly, but otherwise you're too close to forcing

Our school nurse team do drop in clinics. DD didn't want HPV when it first came out but we went last year and they gave it without question.

Great decision.
the GP receptionist will be able to advise, and the practice nurse will likely be able to sort

I’m not sure about whooping cough though as my kids were given it via a pregnant me. I don’t think it’s a significant risk beyond baby stage though, may be wrong.

fine to bribe the kids for this sort of thing

It's never too late, so well done for making the decision. Just ring the GP and they will sort it out for you.

The GP will fix this for you. Respect for your honesty that your views have changed and for making this positive move.